WHY WE SHOULD SUPPORT GIRLS’ EDUCATION.

Education is very important for every child whether boy or girl.
It is sad that some communities still discriminate against the
education of the girl child. About 57million children around the
world are not going to school. The report, Children Still Battling to go to School, finds that 95% of
the 28.5 million children not getting a primary school education
live in low and lower-middle income countries – 44% in
sub-Saharan Africa, 19% in south and west Asia and 14% in the
Arab states, UNESCO said. Girls make up 55% of the total and were
often the victims of rape and other sexual violence that
accompanies armed conflicts, UNESCO said. As the world celebrates
Malala’s birthday let us look at some of the reasons why girls
should get an education.

1.FUTURE EDUCATED GENERATIONS – An African proverb says,
“If we educate a boy, we educate one person. If we educate a
girl, we educate a family – and a whole nation.” By sending a
girl to school, she is far more likely to ensure that her
children also receive an education. As many claim, investing in a
girl’s education is investing in a nation.

2.DECREASE INFANT MORTALITY: Children of educated women
are less likely to die before their first birthday. Girls who
receive an education are less likely to contact HIV & AIDS,
and thus, less likely to pass it onto their children. Primary
education alone helps reduce infant mortality significantly, and
secondary education helps even more. The Girls Global
Education Fund reports that when a child is born to a woman
in Africa who hasn't received an education, he or she has a 1 in
5 chance of dying before 5.

3.DECREASE MATERNAL MORTALITY: Educated women (with
greater knowledge of health care and fewer pregnancies) are less
likely to die during pregnancy, childbirth, or during the
postpartum period. Increased education of girls also leads to
more female health care providers to assist with prenatal medical
care, labor and delivery, delivery complications and emergencies,
and follow-up care.

4.DECREASE CHILD MARRIAGE: Child marriage – in some cases
involving girls as young as 6 or 8 – almost always results in the
end of a girl’s schooling. The result is illiterate or barely
literate young mothers without adequate tools to build healthy,
educated families. On average, for every year a girl stays in
school past fifth grade, her marriage is delayed a year. Educated
girls typically marry later, when they are better able to bear
and care for their children.

5.DECREASE POPULATION EXPLOSION: Educated women tend to
have fewer (and healthier) babies. A 2000 study in Brazil found
that literate women had an average of 2.5 children while
illiterate women had an average of six children, according to
UNESCO.

6.INCREASE INVOLVEMENT IN POLITICAL PROCESS: Educated
women are more likely to participate in political discussions,
meetings, and decision-making, which in turn promotes a more
representative, effective government.

7.DECREASE DOMESTIC & SEXUAL VIOLENCE: Educated girls
and women are less likely to be victims of domestic and sexual
violence or to tolerate it in their families.

8.DECREASE SUPPORT FOR MILITANCY: As women become more
educated, they are less likely to support militancy and terrorism
than similarly educated men.

9.IMPROVE SOCIOECONOMIC GROWTH: Educated women have a
greater chance of escaping poverty, leading healthier and more
productive lives, and raising the standard of living for their
children, families, and communities.

These and many more are some of the valuable reasons why we
should all support education for girls. For every boy that is
educated, every girl should be educated too.

WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO IMPROVE GIRLS' ACCESS TO EDUCATION?

According to UNICEF, experience in scores of countries shows the
importance, among other things, of:

1.Parental and community involvement -- Families and communities
must be important partners with schools in developing curriculum
and managing children's education.

2.Low-cost and flexible timetables -- Basic education should be
free or cost very little. Where possible, there should be
stipends and scholarships to compensate families for the loss of
girls' household labour. Also, school hours should be flexible so
children can help at home and still attend classes.

3.Schools close to home, with women teachers -- Many parents
worry about girls travelling long distances on their own. Many
parents also prefer to have daughters taught by women.

4.Preparation for school -- Girls do best when they receive early
childhood care, which enhances their self-esteem and prepares
them for school.

5.Relevant curricula -- Learning materials should be relevant to
the girl's background and be in the local language. They should
also avoid reproducing gender stereotypes.

Malala Yousafzi, the Pakistani schoolgirl brought to England
after being shot in the head by the Taliban, will address the
United Nations today. She will mark her 16th birthday by
delivering a speech at the UN headquarters in New York to call on
governments to ensure free compulsory education for every child.

It will be the teenager's first public speech since she was
attacked on a bus in Pakistan's north-western Swat valley after
standing up for her right to go to school in her home country.

She will tell a delegation of more than 500 young people: "Let us
pick up our books and pens. They are our most powerful weapons.

"One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the
world. Education is the only solution. Education first."

Join hands and support #education for all boys and girls. No one
should be left out. #MalalaDay

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Voices of Youth (VOY) was founded in 1995 as UNICEF’s online place for young people to learn more about issues affecting their world. Today, VOY is a vibrant community of youth bloggers from all over the world, offering inspiring, original insight and opinion on a variety of topics. Everyone is welcome to write, film, comment and engage in discussions. Let’s go!